OverallOutstanding

Last updated 16 February 2018
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider is meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008, to look at the overall quality of the service, and to provide a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

This announced inspection took place on 14, 15,16,17,20 and 21 November 2017 and was undertaken by one inspector and an expert-by-experience. An expert-by-experience is a person who has personal experience of using or caring for someone who uses this type of care service. The provider was given 24 hoursâ notice because we needed to ensure someone was available to facilitate the inspection.

Before the inspection, we asked the provider to complete a Provider Information Return (PIR). This is a form that asks the provider to give some key information about the service, what the service does well and improvements they plan to make. The provider completed and returned the PIR in October 2017 and we took this into account when we made judgments in this report. In addition we reviewed the information we held about the service including statutory notifications and any safeguarding referrals raised. A notification is information about important events which the provider is required to send us by law.

We sent out questionnaires to people using the service, staff and health professionals to gather feedback and we also contacted Healthwatch for their information about the service. Healthwatch is a consumer organisation that has statutory powers to ensure the voice of the consumer is strengthened and heard by those who commission, deliver and regulate health and care services.

During the inspection we visited three people in their own home and spoke to 16 people on the telephone. We also spoke to 10 staff which included three caregivers, three senior caregivers, an administrator, and the head of caregiver experience, the head of client experience, the registered manager and the provider. We also spoke to three relatives.

We reviewed the care records of three people and three staff recruitment files. We also reviewed records relating to the management and quality assurance of the service.

About us

Inspection checks

These checks were carried out under the inspection model that CQC have used since 2009. These will gradually be replaced by the CQC's new ratings (see below).

All standards were being met when the CQC inspected the service. If this service has not had a CQC inspection since it registered with the CQC, judgement may be based on the CQC's assessment of declarations and evidence supplied by the service.

At least one standard in this area was not being met when the CQC inspected the service and the CQC required improvements.

At least one standard in this area was not being met when the CQC inspected the service and the CQC have taken enforcement action.

New inspection ratings

The CQC are moving to a new inspection model and rate services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:

Outstanding – the service is performing exceptionally well.

Good - the service is performing well and meeting the CQC's expectations.

Requires improvement – the service isn't performing as well as it should and the CQC have told the service how it must improve.

Inadequate – the service is performing badly and the CQC have taken enforcement action against the provider of the service.

No rating/under appeal/rating suspended – there are some services which the CQC can't rate, while some might be under appeal from the provider. Suspended ratings are being reviewed by the CQC and will be published soon.